League two clubs vote to end season

[magpie_mania]

After watching the interview yesterday, I have very little confidence we'd win the semi-final, never mind the final, I didn't detect a slither of desire. There might be a very good reason for that, we don't know what's going on behind the scenes, players may have been affected or there's enough of them worried enough to not want to play, but short of another interview that suggests otherwise, I feel we've already conceded defeat.

We'll have to throw our support behind Yeovil, or if they're up for it - Stockport would be a bit of fairy tale after what they have been through.

p

I don't agree at all. NA said that play-offs are his first choice. I just think that he's hoping for the best but also preparing the fans should the play-offs not go ahead.

The play-offs could be played just before the start of the new season (whenever that might be). If we don't have enough players who want to play then what would do when the season starts? What difference will a month make?

Having watched the Zoum and Enzio Zooms with players, we've been saying that it seems there's a great team-spirit at Notts now.

I don't think Notts have conceded defeat - but you seem to have.

If we didn't play I wouldn't be throwing my support behind anyone, although if absolutely pushed it would be Harrogate.

[Oldstripy]

After watching the interview yesterday, I have very little confidence we'd win the semi-final, never mind the final, I didn't detect a slither of desire. There might be a very good reason for that, we don't know what's going on behind the scenes, players may have been affected or there's enough of them worried enough to not want to play, but short of another interview that suggests otherwise, I feel we've already conceded defeat.

We'll have to throw our support behind Yeovil, or if they're up for it - Stockport would be a bit of fairy tale after what they have been through.

I didn't see or hear that, we can't expect Ardley to up and raring to go when he like us are waiting for the EFL & NL to make up their minds on what to do about playoffs.

Ardley to me wants a four week preseason and the playoffs and promotion but is pragmatic enough to see that more than likely we will be in this horrible league next season whenever or if it gets started.

[upthemaggies]

I didn't see or hear that, we can't expect Ardley to up and raring to go when he like us are waiting for the EFL & NL to make up their minds on what to do about playoffs.

Ardley to me wants a four week preseason and the playoffs and promotion but is pragmatic enough to see that more than likely we will be in this horrible league next season whenever or if it gets started.

If we get the go ahead to play, we'll see what he has to say then. I do worry though that, with no fans to get behind the team, it'll be solely down to him to fire the team up. Watching that interview left me feeling as flat as the world's thinnest pancake squashed under a heavily loaded skip.

You'd hope for a "We're desperate for the opportunity to finish the job", "the players are itching to get at it", "we feel we were becoming the best side in the league for the business end of the season", "we'll do whatever it takes to give ourselves the best possible chance of going up" - you know, the stuff you'd expect from a manager, but there was just nothing other than (paraphrasing not quoting) if we don't go up so be it, look at all these obstacles we have to face, it's just going to be hard and difficult and Harrogate and Barrow deserve it more than us, Negative as usual and now we have no support in the stands to offset that.

[ncfcog]

Who's going to foot the bill for testing for all the clubs likely to compete in play off's? This is one of the reasons I'm not convinced the play off's will happen in the NL.

[magpie_mania]

If we get the go ahead to play, we'll see what he has to say then. I do worry though that, with no fans to get behind the team, it'll be solely down to him to fire the team up. Watching that interview left me feeling as flat as the world's thinnest pancake squashed under a heavily loaded skip.

You'd hope for a "We're desperate for the opportunity to finish the job", "the players are itching to get at it", "we feel we were becoming the best side in the league for the business end of the season", "we'll do whatever it takes to give ourselves the best possible chance of going up" - you know, the stuff you'd expect from a manager, but there was just nothing other than (paraphrasing not quoting) if we don't go up so be it, look at all these obstacles we have to face, it's just going to be hard and difficult and Harrogate and Barrow deserve it more than us, Negative as usual and now we have no support in the stands to offset that.

Such a terrible negative manager.

Just 2 days ago someone posted this on here:

'Then you throw in our tactical genius manager Neal Ardley into the mix and it's inconceivable that we wouldn't have won the title.'

A negative manager who would certainly have won the title - I'll take that.

[upthemaggies]

Such a terrible negative manager.

Just 2 days ago someone posted this on here:

'Then you throw in our tactical genius manager Neal Ardley into the mix and it's inconceivable that we wouldn't have won the title.'

A negative manager who would certainly have won the title - I'll take that.

I can't tailor every post for the odd bod who'll take everything I type literally but I would have thought everybody else here would realise that was said with tongue firmly in cheek.

Now that it's been settled that Barrow are going up and that we'll probably have play offs (and if not, we're apparently happy to hand it to the "outstanding" Harrogate) I can revert back to honesty mode, rather than berating the officials and opposition, and admit that we've barely looked play-off worthy for most of the season and that we probably wouldn't have gone up had the season been concluded, but the 12th man should always shout for a pen if there's a remote chance of one being awarded.

[Oldstripy]

Neal Ardley: Notts County boss harbours promotion hopes via play-offs

Notts County are hoping to regain their EFL place at the first attempt after being relegated in May 2019
Notts County manager Neal Ardley hopes there is still a chance of winning promotion back to the English Football League via the play-offs.

County are third, three points behind Harrogate and seven off leaders Barrow.

The EFL said on Thursday that clubs will still be promoted and relegated from its three divisions if seasons are ended amid the coronavirus crisis.

With the regular National League season having been ended, Ardley hopes play-offs might still be an option.

"The play-offs would be my first choice," Ardley, whose side were relegated from the Football League for the first time in their history last season, told BBC East Midlands Today.

"You're going to need four weeks of training to go into play-offs so these decisions need to be made.

"They can't just drag it out and and say 'we're not sure'. It's gone on long enough now."

Under normal circumstances, the National League champions and the winners of the six-team play-offs would be promoted to League Two.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52758430

[upthemaggies]

Neal Ardley: Notts County boss harbours promotion hopes via play-offs

Notts County are hoping to regain their EFL place at the first attempt after being relegated in May 2019
Notts County manager Neal Ardley hopes there is still a chance of winning promotion back to the English Football League via the play-offs.

County are third, three points behind Harrogate and seven off leaders Barrow.

The EFL said on Thursday that clubs will still be promoted and relegated from its three divisions if seasons are ended amid the coronavirus crisis.

With the regular National League season having been ended, Ardley hopes play-offs might still be an option.

"The play-offs would be my first choice," Ardley, whose side were relegated from the Football League for the first time in their history last season, told BBC East Midlands Today.

"You're going to need four weeks of training to go into play-offs so these decisions need to be made.

"They can't just drag it out and and say 'we're not sure'. It's gone on long enough now."

Under normal circumstances, the National League champions and the winners of the six-team play-offs would be promoted to League Two.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52758430

Exact same BBC interview with a completely different spin.
If they were going to be of any real help to us as an influential and widely trusted source of news and opinion, they should have ran with the headline "Notts County boss demands National League make play-off decision." Pressure needs to be applied on the NL to pull their finger out.

[upthemaggies]

The original "Let's give it to Harrogate" story got taken down, somebody must have had words.

[Chinawhite1000]

Whilst I wouldn't agree with it my guess would be that the EFL would use the wording "shall be eligible to apply for promotion to The League" and would reject the application. As I've said before if either Stevenage or Macclesfield* don't get relegated then it's wrong.
The way things are going it looks like the EFL want it to be Macclesfield and will dock them enough points on the outstanding charge of failing to fulfil a fixture (can't remember who the 2nd one was against) to put them below Stevenage and are waiting until when they have done that to confirm there will be relegation - either that or they will find a rule that lets them expel Macclesfield.

IF that doesn't happen and only 1 goes up I think that there will be negotiations between the EFL and NL which might end in 3 up 3 down from next season. Which in the long run could be better for Notts as if the play-offs were to take place Notts would enter at the play off semi final stage and only have a mathematical 1 in 4 chance of going up.

Well it looks like the Stevenage Chairman must read Notts Mad as he is now trying to push exactly that - that they are saved - but it goes to 3 up 3 down from next season;-

https://www.stevenagefc.com/news/202...24th-may-2020/

"A long time ago, as Vice Chairman of the Conference, I fought relentlessly, along with our Board, for 2 Up 2 Down. We finally achieved that in 2003, with a view to moving to 3 Up 3 Down within a reasonable timeframe. But 17 years on, 3U3D has still not materialised. So perhaps now is the time to use this turmoil to deliver more fluidity between the EFL and National League with 3U3D.

"Since the National League season wasn’t completed in the way it was intended, one option is to leave League Two as it is, with no relegation, and promote one club from the NL this season instead of two, to bring the EFL back to 72 teams, but with 3U3D established and in place for next season. No lawsuits, no clubs bankrupted and something created for the National League that appears to be impossible to achieve.

"There is no financial penalty for any League Two club with this option either, as the budgeted relegation savings from League 2 this season can be applied to the 3rd relegated team. Funding was always the main problem to 3U3D, in that there wasn’t any. If we don’t relegate this season, there will be around £2million of EFL relegation savings over the next 2 seasons to make 3U3D happen.

"If the National League would agree, I believe this could be an option for clubs to consider and vote upon as a solution to the bottom of the EFL."